A New Defense of the Platinum

A little backstory. I'm 26, a paralegal making $50K, and a relatively recent Amex Platinum owner. This isn't a defense of using the Platinum with bad spending habits. No matter what the card, always pay on time and in full, make a budget and stick to it, and be honest with yourself. Rather, it's a new perspective on who the Platinum is for.

When I was first looking into the Platinum, most every reviewer said one thing: "This card is only good if you're an active traveler or active duty military." It's entirely true, it is a great card if you travel multiple times a year or can get the fee waived, but I also feel like it's great for someone that wants to travel more often.

The $695 AF is steep, yes, but I feel three credits can make the Platinum much more reasonable for even the average aspirational traveler: Uber, Digital Entertainment, and Saks. Using the Uber Eats credit for pickup nets me basically one free lunch each month to offset against the credit, something I would do anyway without it. It covers the cost of my SiriusXM and my Peacock (substitute your favorite streaming service either way), which is something I would be paying for anyway. Lastly, Saks. The only thing I would see myself purchasing at Saks would be cologne, but even if I wanted absolutely nothing, I could easily sell the gift cards for $40 a piece each year online.

$695-200-240-80=$175. Still high, don't get me wrong, but significantly more reasonable. I use other credits too, but I feel like the vast majority of people can make use of those three at least. There's also the perks of purchase protection and cell insurance, but I digress.

But here's the thing about the Platinum. It makes me take a break. The $200 FHR credit? I used it to take a single-day staycation at a resort in my hometown and honestly? I can't tell you how refreshed I feel. I may not have stayed there initially, but I value that stay. It makes me excited to start my travel plans again and get out into the world. The complimentary Gold at Hilton and Marriott? It came through when I was exhausted on a road trip and got me an upgraded room unexpectedly. It turned an annoying trip delay into a genuinely enjoyable stay. Global Entry? Makes coming back stateside from Mexico a breeze so my fiancée and I can spend more time with family.

My point is: The Platinum does shine when you can stay at airport lounges, get first-class flights at insane rates with your MR points, and show off by calling the concierge. But I feel like it also shines for a guy like me: someone who wants to travel more but hasn't been able to. It takes some discipline and I may not make use of all the credits in my day-to-day expected spend, but I can use them to enjoy some nicer parts of life, take a break from the grind, and look forward to traveling again. That's worth the $175 EAF to me.

Edit: Clarification and grammar.